Psalm 5At one level prayer is like breathing or talking – we don’t need to be taught how to do it. But at another level prayer is something we do need to learn and get better at. And there is no better place to go than the Psalms, the prayer-book of the Bible. What we have here is a masterclass in prayer.

Psalm 4Ever struggle to get to sleep at night? Ever lie there with your mind and heart filled with worries and fears and problems? In this psalm King David shares the secret of how to sleep in joy and peace, even when your world is falling apart.

Psalm 3We all know that Monday morning feeling – the worries, the fears, the pressures. The writer of this psalm could relate. And can help us. But first we need to see that this psalm in the first place is not just about me and my problems. It’s about the Christ.

Psalm 2 Liberal democracy seems to be in crisis. Authoritarian states are increasingly powerful. Right-wing nationalism is in full swing. Global conflict seems increasingly likely. Where is the world heading? We know because God has revealed it in Psalm 2. And if we are wise, we will get on the right side of history.

Psalm 1 “The pursuit and definition of happiness has occupied humanity since time immemorial”. But in the news this past week, Google’s chief business officer reckons he’s found the equation for guaranteed happiness. But even if he had, why is being happy actually not enough?

Various The Lord of the Rings is a story about power and the corrupting nature of power. All of us feel the magnetic pull of power on our hearts. How can we get power under control? And how can we experience more of God’s power in our lives?

Romans 8:1-27Joost van der Westhuizen was a household name in international rugby. He was a committed Christian, but in 2009 his life began to unravel. He became embroiled in a sex-tape and cocaine scandal. Two years later he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease. He died last month aged just 45. His story highlights two struggles that everyone faces – the struggle with sin and the struggle with suffering. Where can we turn for help?

1 Corinthians 12-13Being a football supporter and a church member may on the surface seem pretty similar. You have a common interest, you pay some money to go and watch once a week, you stand and sing, and some people get very passionate about it. But church members are more than supporters. They are part of the body of Christ.

various Many see Christianity as the enemy of freedom, because it insists there is right and wrong belief and behaviour. By contrast Jesus says that he has come to set us free. But in what way is the Christian life one of freedom?